The 30th anniversary of Mandurah Studio Co-Operative, now trading as Art and Crafts Mudgee, is being celebrated with a special exhibition of work by new members.
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Nienke Berghuis works in acrylics, watercolours and ink art, producing contemporary subjects in a variety of techniques.
Jenny MacNaughton is a traditional watercolourist specialising in atmospheric landscapes, while Debra Barnett produces colourful leadlights.
There is also new work by Michael Kurtz featuring his ideas in metal.
History
Originally, a group of craft people opened a gallery in 1987, in the basement of what was then the Parkview Guest House. The talents they brought to the enterprise included pottery, spinning, weaving and leadlighting. It was very popular and with more members wanting to join, bigger premises were needed.
In March 1989, the group moved to its present location at the Historic Railway Station.
It became Mandural Studio Co-Operative, Mandurah being an Aboriginal word meaning ‘trading place’. More recently the name was changed to Art and Crafts Mudgee.
The group restored the western interior of the station – the ladies waiting room and ticket office – and created the gallery.
Some of the original railway features can still be seen, including the Station Master’s clock and schematic plan of the interior. There is also a display of railway memorabilia, researched and assembled by members.
There are four rooms, displaying a wide variety of handcrafted work including:
- timber trays
- coffee tables,
- metalworks,
- decorated pokerwork boxes,
- quaint pottery figures,
- paintings,
- jewellery,
- hand dyed silk or woven scarves,
- colouful knitwear,
- patchwork cushions,
- babywear,
- toys
- cards